Delivering impact together.
Fish Focus talks to new Seafish CEO Colin Faulkner, in our latest Seafood Processors Review.
Fish Focus was delighted to sit down with new Seafish Chief Executive Colin Faulkner, who has now been in post since January, to discuss his first few months leading the organisation and the recently launched ‘Annual Plan 2026-27: Delivering Impact Together’.
Colin is no newcomer to the UK seafood industry. Before joining Seafish, he spent more than seven years at DEFRA as Deputy Director for International Fisheries Negotiations and Seafood Trade Policy, playing a key role in shaping fisheries policy and international seafood trade.
With a wealth of experience already behind him, Fish Focus began by asking what attracted him to the role and how he has found his first few months at Seafish.
“I wanted to do this job because I find the seafood sector infinitely interesting,” Colin explained. “I’d worked in DEFRA for a long time in fisheries, and I really wanted to stay in the sector. There aren’t always that many opportunities, and I already knew Seafish was a really interesting organisation doing a huge amount of valuable work. I also felt there was potential to do even more.”
While acknowledging the significant challenges facing the industry, Colin says it is the people working within it that continue to inspire him.
“There are many challenges, issues and problems facing the sector, but it’s such a resilient, adaptable and passionate industry. That’s what I really love about it.
“When I worked in government, much of my time was spent dealing with professional lobbyists who were representing whoever employed them. In seafood, you’re talking to people whose work is their life’s passion. It’s incredibly vibrant, exciting and, above all, genuine.”
One thing Colin has quickly discovered is that the seafood industry is never short of opinions.
“People certainly aren’t shy about telling you exactly what they think,” he laughed. “There are some big personalities in this industry who don’t pull their punches, and I actually think that’s fantastic. It’s an environment built on passion, openness and honesty.”
He recently visited Cornwall and came away impressed by the pride people have in their businesses.
“I was fascinated by how keen people were to tell me about what they’re doing. They’re incredibly proud of their businesses, and rightly so.”
A sharper focus
The conversation naturally turned to Seafish’s newly published Annual Plan for 2026-27, titled ‘Delivering Impact Together’.
Rather than producing a lengthy document covering every aspect of the organisation’s work, Seafish has deliberately taken a different approach this year.
“We made a conscious decision to produce a shorter, sharper Annual Plan,” Colin explained. “We wanted to be much clearer about what we’re trying to achieve and focus on the areas where we can genuinely make the biggest difference.”
The plan is built around three strategic priorities:
- A safe and skilled workforce
- Smoother and expanding seafood trade
- A resilient supply chain
According to Colin, these three themes represent the areas where Seafish believes it can deliver the greatest impact for levy payers and the wider seafood industry.
“We want to make sure everything we do has genuine impact on the ground, whatever part of the industry it’s aimed at.
“This isn’t intended to be an exhaustive document listing every activity we undertake. Its purpose is to give people a clear steer on where we’re focusing our efforts.”
Importantly, Colin stresses that the Annual Plan is not intended to be a fixed blueprint.
“It’s also asking the industry whether we’re focusing on the right things, it is not a straitjacket, it has to respond and it has to flex as circumstances change.”
He points to recent global events as a reminder of just how quickly priorities can shift.
“When I joined Seafish in January, nobody was really talking about oil and fuel prices in the way they are now, or some of the wider geopolitical issues affecting seafood businesses. External events can change incredibly quickly, and Seafish has to be able to adapt just as quickly.”
For Colin, adaptability is becoming one of the organisation’s defining characteristics.
“This Annual Plan is about saying: this is who we are as an organisation, this is what we’re trying to achieve, but we also recognise that the world changes. We have to change with it.”
Delivering measurable impact
At the heart of the strategy is a renewed emphasis on measurable outcomes rather than simply delivering programmes.
Workforce development remains a major priority, with Seafish aiming to expand training opportunities, improve fishing safety and help attract and retain a skilled domestic workforce. As technology transforms seafood production and processing, the organisation also plans to support businesses in developing the skills needed for an increasingly automated and digitally connected industry.
Trade is another major pillar of the plan. Seafish intends to help businesses navigate evolving regulations, reduce barriers to export and identify new international market opportunities while supporting government initiatives designed to improve the UK’s seafood competitiveness.
The third strategic priority focuses on building a more resilient supply chain. With climate change, labour shortages, geopolitical uncertainty and changing consumer behaviour creating increasing pressure, Seafish plans to provide businesses with better market intelligence, carbon measurement tools, supply chain data and evidence to support informed decision-making.
Alongside these priorities sits a renewed commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement. Colin believes Seafish must continue listening to levy payers and ensuring that industry voices directly influence the organisation’s priorities.
Ultimately, the Annual Plan signals a more focused, impact-driven approach for Seafish.
Rather than attempting to tackle every issue facing the seafood industry, the organisation has identified where it believes it can add the greatest value, helping businesses become safer, more competitive and more resilient in an increasingly complex operating environment.
As Colin concluded, the organisation’s role is straightforward in principle, even if the challenges are anything but.
“We’re focusing on a safe and skilled workforce, on supporting seafood trade and on building a resilient supply chain. Those are the areas where we believe we can make the biggest difference, while remaining flexible enough to respond to whatever comes next.”
We would like to thank Colin for giving us his time and we look forward to working closely with Seafish over the coming months and reporting back on progress as the plan develops.
Seafish Annual Plan 2026 – 2027
Three Strategic Outcomes
- A safe and skilled workforce
The long-term success of the seafood industry begins with its workforce.
Discover how Seafish will support safer working environments, help to strengthen workforce development and help businesses navigate an evolving labour landscape.
From training and skills development, to safety initiatives and industry guidance, learn how they aim to support people and businesses across the British seafood supply chain.
- Smoother and expanding seafood trade
As regulatory requirements and global markets continue to change, seafood businesses face an increasingly complex trading environment.
Learn how Seafish will support the British seafood industry with the insight, guidance and market intelligence needed to navigate change, strengthen trade relationships and unlock new opportunities both at home and internationally.
- A resilient supply chain
From climate pressures and market shifts to evolving regulation and emerging technologies, seafood businesses in the UK are operating in a rapidly changing environment.
In their Annual Plan, Seafish detail how they will support the industry to build resilience, respond to sustainability challenges and identify opportunities for long-term growth. From market insights and environmental support to collaborative industry initiatives, the plan outlines their ideas to help businesses to confidently prepare for the future.
Download your copy of the plan today from the Seafish Website here
Read Fish Focus’ latest seafood processing magazine.
Image: Seafish CEO Colin Faulkner